EXHAUSTED the Christmas Markets? Or been exhausted by them? There’s still time to tackle Taste of Manchester’s Alternative Christmas mooch this Saturday. It’s a roundabout route but you’ll miss the crowds (ie you won’t miss the crowds!)
1 GRUB, Growlers and brewery taps bonanza
The Piccadilly Beer Mile never quite took off as an organised destination. All a bit ad hoc but this weekend (Fri-Sun, Dec 16-18) the indie brewers in the area synchronise en masse for Manchester Brewery Taps Weekend, so perfect for a leisurely crawl to sample the likes of Cloudwater, Track, Beer Merchants, Beer Nouveau and Manchester Brewing Company. All are open at varying times, check with them.
We’d suggest going on Saturday because you can combine booze with some star street food at the GRUB Food Fair (at Alphabet Brewing Co – where a range of their ales will flow freely (alongside the high octane gluhwein Feuerzangenbowle and mulled cider) to wash down parmos from ParmStar and treats from Liverpool’s Amazing Mr Meatball, Yakumama, Flavors of Africa and The Biscuit Tin.
Then take some beer home with you from Beer Merchants, near neighbours at 102 North Western Street. Spend £5 on one of their growlers (a heavy sealed jug) where all oxygen is expelled during the filling process, allowing keg beer to keep fresh until opened for 60 days. There is zero waste as the four pint growler gets washed and re-used every time.
Sat December 17, 12pm-10pm. GRUB, Alphabet, 99 North Western Street, Manchester, M12 6JL. Free.
2 Winter Gathering, London Road Fire Station
Head back from the backstreets railway arches to the bright lights of Piccadilly proper and drop in on this poptastic pop-up in the iconic Fire Station until December 22, complete with sizeable ice-rink in the courtyard (note only the kids get to push the penguin models around the rink) and amazing music. Great cocktails and beer bars alongside an array of food traders. Typical was a sublime steak sandwich from BEASTro, who open their permanent Spinningfields home in early 2017. Fellow carnivores check out Steel Smoking’s pulled pork, red cabbage and apple sauce in a sweet brioche bun (above). WG runs until January 8.
3 Bundobust at 61 Piccadilly
Push briefly through the swirling tide of humanity heading for Piccadilly Station and check out the city’s coolest new arrival. Piccadilly Gardens is just across the road but down in Bundobust’s basement staring up at the vertiginous atrium you might be in New York. Then the Gujarati veggie snacks arrive and a glass of Bombay Dazzler Witbier and Mumbai calls. You might never want to leave… but Ancoats awaits
4 Ancoats – the new frontier just got wider
Slowly but surely Ancoats is getting its act together. At weekends it’s an antidote to the increasingly frenetic Northern Quarter. Whether that will change when all the new foodie projects are up and running it’s hard to tell. Meanwhile folk are happy to queue for one of Rudy’s Pizzas in Cutting Room Square. With Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse opening across Cutting Room Square there’ll even be somewhere stylish to await your date with dough. On Great Ancoats Street, there’s one of Manchester’s most distinctive dining experiences, the stylish Squid Ink. or if you really want to chill slip into Ancoats Coffee in the Royal Mills.
5 Christmas Craftmaking in Sadler’s Yard and a Pilcrow pint
Circle down Swan Street, perhaps giving into the temptation of a quick one in the Smithfield Tavern, the Blackjack brewery tap, or on Shudehill, the quirky delights of the Wonder Inn or browsing in Paramount second hand bookshop, and in the heart of the Coop’s NOMA you’ll eventually locate Sadler’s Yard. From 11am to 7pm each day until December 23 a large marquee is hosting a Winter Workshop, run by the @makersdozen collective. Depending on which day it is, you can make a small working, floating boat from English hardwood or learn traditional bookbinding skills to create your own 2017 diary or create a classic double-dipped candle. The craft tutors will also wrap your Christmas presents for you exquisitely. The workshop is free but they encourage a donation to the Mustard Tree homeless project. The Workshop’s Joe Hartley was a key figure in building from scratch the wooden Pilcrow Pub next door. The craft beer is just as good as the design. Order one of their toasties using Pollen sourdough and order a a schooner of Cloudwater to toast Christmas in a truly local way.
Have a great festive season from all of us at Taste of Manchester.